Greetings from the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust! You are reading the December 2007 edition of Tidecast, the quarterly updates written especially for the Coastal Land Trust Tidewater Society.

In this edition you will find the latest news on our year-end closings

It’s all about the Land!

Some people count sheep as a restful respite! Here at the Coastal Land Trust, we’re counting up the acres.

We always rush to close properties before the end of the calendar year and 2007 was no different. Why the rush? Well, many of these projects involve bargain sales or donations that have repercussions on a landowner’s taxes; in other words, the landowners need them done by December 31. Besides, we want to really celebrate the old year and start the new with great success!

Here are the last projects that were in the 2007 queue:

• 58 acres on the White Oak River in Carteret County. This donated easement is the initial part of a project that will be completed next year adding another 247 acres. The project called White Oak River Barker contains approximately 3 miles of frontage on the White Oak River and over 1000 linear feet along Hunters Creek. The tract hosts estuarine marsh, pine-hardwood forest and agricultural land.


• 12.63 acres on the Roanoke Sound near Nags Head in Dare County. This property has maritime forest with high dunes falling off into wetlands.

More than 40,000 acres protected in perpetuity now and for future generations to enjoy.

Field Day at Five Eagle Partners - A Huge Success!

On Saturday January 26 we conducted our first field day.
Our hosts John and Judy Thomas, Susan Stern, and David Huffine are to be thanked for a fantastic event.

We had about 100 guests who braved the cold, wet, weather to attend the event.

The tours of the property were very much enjoyed by all of the participants. John and Judy Thomas have done a wonderful job of stewarding the property by enhancing the wildlife habitat and reintroducing significant acreage of Long Leaf Pine restoration.

The retriever demonstrations were a favorite of the crowd and quite amazing!

And, Oh yes, the Oysters, big, succulent, cooked to perfection and salty. Let’s not forget about the wonderful delicious chicken and the tummy-warming fixens that Judy Thomas personally furnished and served.

Thanks to our Oyster cooker Mr. Tom Mattson and his crew.

What a band, "Masonboro Sound", was so good that they could quit their day jobs as Foresters and go to Vegas!

The weather was a little damp (understatement) but the hearts were warm and the camaraderie outstanding - with just enough libations to warm the body, which made for a great day.

Welcome to Curt and Marsha Winbourne of Wilson, NC as the newest members of our Tidewater Society. They joined at the event.

Special Thanks to Beth Storie and Michael McOwen, Sam Rankin, Cheryl Smith, John and Judy Thomas, Gary and Marian West, and Larry Eakes for items donated for the silent auction.

Thanks also to Atlantic Shores Distributors, House of Raeford Farms, Inc. - Robert Johnson CEO, Scott and Diana Corbett and the Jimmy Holmes of Reddy Ice Company. These generous people donated beer, chicken, ice and underwrote the cost of printing and mailing the invitations

Reflections on 2007 and eager anticipation for 2008

As a family of conservation stewards we have accomplished a great deal of work for our mission in 2007. As 2007 has ended and gives way to 2008, we turn in reflection to our accomplishments. This has been a landmark year for the Coastal Land Trust. We are so fortunate to live in a country where our freedom affords us the opportunity to work for the environment, saving important places for all the right reasons, not the least of which is passing them on to future generations. In our 15 year history we have protected over 40,000 acres of land in coastal North Carolina. We could not accomplish any of this good and important work without the help of our family of conservation stewards and the friends of the coastal environment, and that is you our Tidewater Society members.

Our mission is more urgent than ever. Here are some highlights from 2007.

NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL LAND TRUST

• We protected more than 2,171 acres of land through
  December 31, 2007.We closed on 13 projects, including two
  in cooperation with the Department of the Navy, both of which are important to securing our national security.


• We have reached the 40,000 acre mark of lands saved on the coast.


• In fiscal 2007 we leveraged every $1.00 of public
  support into $18.00 of government dollars for
  permanent land protection.


• We accomplished all of this with 11 employees.


• We conducted over 75 outreach activities,
  including our Annual Holt Oil Golf Tournament,
  our annual Wrightsville Beach Kayak Race, our annual meeting,
  miscellaneous receptions, seminars and speaking engagements.


• We delivered incredible efficiency with
  99.6% of our overall revenues going to protect
  coastal lands.

Thank you for your generous support through 2007. We couldn’t have done it without you.

We appreciate all you do for the Coastal Land Trust!

Yours in Conservation,

Gary West
Director of Development

P.S. The purpose of Tidecast is to keep you informed of upcoming events and ongoing conservation projects. If you’d prefer that I send you these updates by email, or if you’d like me take you off the list altogether, just let me know.